The background description provided here is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Substrate processing systems may be used to deposit, etch, ash, clean or otherwise perform treatment of film on a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer. The substrate processing systems typically include a processing chamber, a gas distribution device and a substrate support. During processing, the substrate is arranged on the substrate support. Different gas mixtures may be introduced into the processing chamber. Radio frequency (RF) plasma and/or heat may be used to activate chemical reactions.
Lift pins may be used to allow delivery and removal of the substrate from the processing chamber using a robot arm. Normally, an upper end of the lift pins is located flush with or below an upper surface of the substrate support. During substrate delivery or removal, the lift pins are raised relative to an upper surface of the substrate support to lift the substrate and provide clearance between the substrate and the substrate support. The clearance between the substrate and the substrate support allows an end effector of the robot arm to be inserted or removed.
A bottom portion of the lift pins is located in and retained by a lift pin holder. The lift pin holder is made of metal. The metal in the lift pin holder can cause metal contamination of the substrates during processing at high temperature and/or using certain process chemistries.